Back to the Land of the Setting Sun

Japans Return to East Asia

Its return -> opportunistic or reflective of a more emotive, identity-based
disposition, where Japan turns away from the west?
Introduction
-Answer the question by studying Japans historical identity -> meiji era and
Japanese natl identity prior and subsequent to WW II.
-there is a need to for caution when discussing Japans return to asia.
Historical Context
-Japan -> borrowed other cultures, language,ideas and technologies
-Chinese culture influenced japan
-Chinese written language
-Confucian familial orientation also known to have heavily influenced Japanese
societies as did Buddhism and Taoism
-Mongolian invasions of 1274 and 1281 strongly influenced the uniting of mainland
Japan and thus helped shape Japanese national identity. -> repelled the Mongol
threat -> enhanced the sense of sacredness of the Japanese mainland and added to
the mystique of the emperor
-Japan was not overwhelmed by western cultural influence despite intial interactions
with traders and missionaries in the 16th to 17th century -> mostly because of
isolationist policy (sakoku) (1633-1853)
-Despite few interactions, tokugawa shogunate promulgated Chinese studies but
not so much on dutch studies.
-Tokugawa period -> japan attempt to balance traditional easterns and western
knowledge -> medical tect more from Holland than in Chinese medical wisdom
-Kokugaku (National study) -> common in mid to late tokugawa period -> imagined
that the natural Japanese community was a pre-Chinese community which existed
in a mystical divine age.
-late tokugawa elites saw neo-confucianism and Buddhism as corrupt Chinese
influences that underpinned the increasingly problematic tokugawa social order
-impact of west primarily began in 19th century (1853)with admiral perrys black
ships arrival.
-1868- Meiji restoration
-Japan did not accept the wholesale western knowledge of sovereignty.

-The place of the emperor as a Japanese Shinto spiritual authority within a

communitarian cultural paradigm was not disputed but western-style political
administration was well-received as well as the parliamentary system of
government.
-At present, Japan still maintains the system to track movements in births,
mariages, and death within families.
-Education was another area where western methods were studies and employed
but education was connected more to the national than individual.
-Stability of its political system led to modernization of its economy
-Japans military accomplishments in the mis-tolate meiji period waer especially
significant for the development of national identity
-(1894-1895) Sino-Japanese war
-(1904-1905) russo-japanese war
-1890s Japan became more unstable over time and authoritarian control
manifested itself in public life among more liberal periods such as the Taisho
Democracy period after WWI
-Authoritarian control was eventually consolidated in the events subsequent to the
Manchurian incident in 1931.
-1937, (Prince) Konoe Fumimaro, another cultural elite would bring up Asian
backwardness in the context of Japans own national mission
-The superior essence of collective eastern morality and emphasis on the family
was overtly emphasized at the time, as were specifically Japanese cultural mems
and traditions such as yamato-damashii and Bushido.
-Like similar movements of the time in China, traditional values were considered
superior to western ways of thinking.
-Amidst increasing nationalist sentiment surrounding the acquisition of Taiwanese
and Korean colonies from Russia and China, there was also significant reaction
against the Wests political and ideological hypocrisy because Japans racial equality
clause was rejected in the Paris Peace Conference.
-The intellectual, socio-economic and spiritual malaise, combined with perceived
international threats and the impact of the Great depression on an already exportdependent society led Japan to seek comfort in the dictatorial and militaristic
developments of the 193s.
-Japan believed it could not trust the Western world completely and soon found out
that the Wests overbearing and often brutal treatment of its East Asian sibling was
going to create seemingly irreconcilable problems in the East Asian region after the
end of WW II.
WW II and the Cold War: Japan as a Western country?

-The Korean comfort women and the Nanjing massacre are some of the most
enduringflashppints for Japanese political and cultural relations with Korea and
China.
-While Japan justified its intervention in East Asia by way of an obligation to help its
underdeveloped neighbors, the outcome was anything but helpful for Japans
relations with East Asia nations in the post WW II period.
-After the war, Japan came under the occupation of the US allied forces until the San
Francisco Peace Treaty signed in 1951
- Japan could still be counted a loyal ally of the United States and together they
served as a powerful bulwark against the Cold Wars East be it the Soviet Union or
Communist China.
-Post WW II era was an unusual period for Japns broader international identity
-Japan had economically been considered part of the developed nations of the West
by both Westerns and Japanese scholars.
-Japan however did not merely follow Western models for modernization and
development as can be seen in the Japanese Economic Miracle which started with
the income doubling plan of 1960.
-Collectively-oriented labor relations and a hard-working nationalist spirit also
purportedly enabled Japan to prosper -> Combination of Eastern social values and
Western political economy.
-Japan then became the desired model for civilizational progress in East Asia.
-1960s some argued that Japans economic suffering was because of its Asianess
1990s and beyond:the return to Asia?
3 Major developments in the later 1980s to early 1990s
1. Popping of the bubbly economy following 30 yrs of remarkable societal and
economic development led to the end of the Japanese economic miracle and
undermined Jpans status as an economic superpower.
2. Post-Cold war transition to a US-dominated international security order after
the unification of Germany and dissolution of the Soviet Union took away
Japans pivotal importance (to US at least) in global security politics and its
attendant benefits.
3. The economic rise of Singapore, HK and newly democratic Taiwan and SK and
later a market-oriented China in addition to a developing East Asian regional
consciousness, has forced Japan to reconsider the value of having closer ties
with East Asian nations.
-Japan rather than being a global economic superpower, is now imagined to be a
regional middle power within EA by foreign policy elites and citizens.

-Recently however, Japan has been an active supporter of multilateral institutionbuilding in the post-Cold War era in EA as best embodied in the EA Summit which is
based on the ASEAN+6 grouping.
Economic integration in EA
-The most notable recent Japanese intervention in the EA economic sphere was the
Miyazawa Plan, a policy produced by Japan and coordinated by the IMF to help
countries suffering from financial liquidity issues during what was called the 19981999.
-The expansion of the Chiang Mai Initiative (CMI) is another notable example of
increased financial cooperation.
-Japans imports and exports have increased rapidly over the last 15 years.
-Japans own flagship proposal, CEPEA
-East Asia Free trade Agreement (EAFTA)
Social issues coordination and the environment
-Japan has an extensive shadow ecology in EA environmental impacts felt
beyond its borders
-Overseas Development Ais (ODA) increased for environtment
-Since the late 1980s,Japan has taked on a greater and more nuanced role in
engaging with east Asian countries to limit the damage.
-Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against
Shipsn (ReCAAP)
Cultural connections in EA
-Essential prerequisite for Japan to develop an EA identity.
-Pan-Asian NGOs have increased over time as have educational exchanges to and
from Japan in addition to a marked increase in scientific and technological
collaboration and Track II activities since 1990s.
-Popular Japanese cultural productions such as manga, anime, convenience stores,
food and movies have also found lucrative niches in the wider East Asian market,
especially since SK, Taiwan, Malaysia and China have relaxed censorship arounf
references to Japan since 1980s.
-Furthermore, concepts such as Asian values have been discussed by scholars and
East Asian elites with many of these values derived from Confucian, Buddhist or
simply communitarian features of EA societies.
Conclusion
-Real world developments show Japan is genuinely starting to integrate into the
region.

-As many ASEAN countries are now rapidly developing, Japan has a chance to help
shape the development of these countries to create more stable political and
economic security environment.
-Japan also has strategic opportunity to revitalize its own economy through
economic integration.
-It is undeniable that Japan is growing economically and politically closer to EA, that
its national identity was originally shaped by interactions with the East Asian
mainland and that Japan also has many interests in common with its EA neighbors.
-Iwabuchi -> said that Japan;s modern national identity should not be affiliated
strongly with either the east or west.